Enermax NoiseTaker 475 moding?

DG · Post by DG » Sat May 08, 2004 3:24 pm

After reading the review, i'm thinking to buy this PSU. But, i don't know if this will be a safe mod and also, an easy mod:

1. remove the 92mm bottom fan and cover the hole with duct tape (or something)

2. swap the 80mm fan with a panaflo . The air will flow just as in a normal 1 80mm fan psu (like zalman 400b)

You can see pictures with the inside of the psu here: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article149-page2.html

Now, what i don't know is:

- Will the psu overheat? It's got very high efficiency (so it runs cool),grills on the back, but i keep wandering about the heat problem...

- Is the back 80mm fan thermal controlled or just affected by the manual fan speed knob?

Has anyone modded this PSU? Any opinions about this psu?

DG · Post by DG » Sun May 09, 2004 1:03 pm

Anyone?

Post by **MikeC** » Sun May 09, 2004 2:03 pm

IMO, because the fan controller is quite well behaved, if you wanted to quiet this PSU more, I'd just do fan swaps with known good quality fans -- like a Nexus 80 for the 80mm fan and maybe a Panaflo 92L. That would deal with the #1 noise issue in this PSU, which is the bearing / electronic chatter at low (default) speed.

Both the fans are controlled by the fan controller, AFAIK.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sun May 09, 2004 2:05 pm

I'm no expert in modding PSU's but my question would be: why buy an expensive new PSU just to rip out the fans and mod it?

Wouldn't it be easier to start with something cheaper? Do you really need 475W?

DG · Post by DG » Sun May 09, 2004 2:39 pm

For the moment, 350w i think is enough, but i plan to upgrade in the future and a good PSU is a long time investment, imo...

Anyway, the decision on the "what psu to buy?" is not final. It is VERY hard to choose.
For example, my next psu on the list is a Nexus 3500, but i don't know if the psu 120mm fan will turn to almoust full speed in my configuration (see sig).

halcyon · Post by **halcyon** » Sun May 09, 2004 11:00 pm

Noisetaker is apparently a very good PSU. It provides dual 12V lines and could be a good selection for someone running extremely heavy power draw components (Prescott / Xeon duals + Gefore 6800 Ultra).

However, I wouldn't cover the 92 bottom hole. It's very useful to use that as a natural convection intake hole for the PSU, which in turn then exhausts the warm air.

Of course, there's the possibility that if running a scorching hot cpu under the PSU, the PSU will get warmer fast with the bottom hole open (and without a fan).

As such, I'd also recommend perhaps replacing the bottom 92mm fan with a slower running/more silent fan along with elastic mountings. That is, if you want to replace the fans to begin with.

Personally I think it's worth my time to get an electrically good PSU first that has potential for modding and then mod it.

I try to avoid the cheapest PSUs, but I think Ralf has a point: if you don't need 475W / dual 12V lines, then why not buy a much cheaper 350-400W Fortron and mod that?

regards,
halcyon

dukeman · Post by **dukeman** » Mon May 10, 2004 5:13 am

i just installed the 475w noisetaker and i dont know why you would mod this thing. It is by far the quietest ps i have used. i cant even hear the fans when this beast is set to low. my ps rpm has only ever gotten to 1200rpm and then it was still inaudiable over my other fans. I am playing around with my case fans to find the best way to keep my case temp in the low 30's which helps keep the ps real cool.

this is a off the shelf great ps, i highly recommend it to all. when i go water cooled at the end of summer i will live in silence at last.

shathal · Post by **shathal** » Mon May 10, 2004 10:33 am

Darn - I still have to wait for another 2 weeks odd before I can get my greedy fingers on it.

On the other hand, the ATI 800XT Pro / 6800 Ultra should also become available then

Muahahaha ...

*clears through*

sorry. Just the anticipation running rampant..

mdaniel · Post by **mdaniel** » Mon May 10, 2004 4:25 pm

My noisetaker shipped out today and should be here by Thursday. Which is perfect, as the wife will be at some school function where she teaches and I can open up my rig without anyone staring at me like I'm a computer modding junkie.

For those with Vantec Ion PSUs, I have some interesting info for ya'll. I'm on my second (RMAd the first about 4 months ago because the 5v rail was too low and was causing random reboots) and now both fans have stopped working in it. I'm going back to Enermax, as I should not have to replace the same PSU every few months. But what is intersting, is this PSU works fine with no fans as long as I don't game for too long on it. Any gaming over 30 minutes pushes me into the reboot world. If you could find a good one, imagine what one 7v panaflo could do instead of the two fans that come with it?

But I don't want to find out, so I impatiently awate my new Noisetaker. They just came out with a 600w version...I wonder how that one would compare? Once I get that in and can start slowly acquiring my WC components, I will be happy.

caxis0 · Post by **caxis0** » Mon May 10, 2004 4:31 pm

I have modded this PSU.

... and I took pictures

http://www.deckadance.com/curious/pics/misc/project

Check em out, Part IV and Part V have all the PSU mods. I changed the back fan for a panaflo. I left the 92 alone (for now). I also sleeved the PSU--which was AGONIZING. Call me a n00b, but it was just the most tedious thing ever.

If you plan to sleeve this PSU, let me give you a few tips specific to this model:

1) You want to remove the stiff rubber tubing, if you use like an exacto knife, you may accidently cut into the shielding a tiny bit and leave tiny metal wire sticking out here and there. Best to cover this with electrical tape before sleeving.
2) You will have to cope with 3 leads going into one lead, this is because of the metal shielding around two of the main leads out of the PSU. This can not be cut off either because it is actually the ground connection. I just used heat shrink on each of the 3 leads at the point where they met the main lead and then put some more heatshrink on the big lead over the 3 leads.
3) If you sleeve everything from inside the PSU out, then the rear hole is BARELY large enough for all of the leads to fit through and if you don't remove the rubber tubing, then it won't be doable without making a larger hole.
4) One pack of techflex sleeving isn't enough really--it can be done, but not with the appropriate sizes. Not enough of some sizes. Buy 2.
5) The vampire 90* Sata connectors are really cool

Also, if you change fans, the fan connects inside are not the same as typical fan connectors. When I dropped my L1A in the back, I had to remove the plug from the Silence fan that came with it and use it on the L1A--it's kinda rigged in there, but it works.

Bruce

NARC · Post by **NARC** » Tue May 11, 2004 10:49 am

My god caxis0, that is an incredible amount of work to re-sleeve all of your PSU leads. However, it looks great. In fact, the entire thing looks great.

Very nice work, and nicely detailed. What are the rubber seals/grommets around the holes that you cut for your fans?

Post by **MikeC** » Tue May 11, 2004 11:22 am

caxis0 --

I think Enermax should pay you for showing them how to do it right!

shathal · Post by **shathal** » Tue May 11, 2004 11:59 am

NOW I understand what the point of the vampire Molex connectors is ...

.

Ta for the piccies. Looks like a LOT of work there...

caxis0 · Post by **caxis0** » Tue May 11, 2004 6:46 pm

Oh man, thanks you all! That's so cool--noone has said anything as kind about my project PC yet! This was my first time sleeving a PSU, and it is something I hope to never have to do again

(but I know better).

As for the rubber moulding, you can pick some up at FrozenCPU.com

http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/mol-01.html

It's really expensive though (US$1.50/ft!!), and I can't find it anywhere else any cheaper.

Bruce

NARC · Post by **NARC** » Wed May 12, 2004 8:52 am

Whoa, that IS expensive!

God I love reading all of the things that you guys are doing. I am so inspired to start cutting up my rig.

larrymoencurly · Post by **larrymoencurly** » Thu May 13, 2004 12:48 am

Can't you get that rubber or vinyl edging somewhere else for much less, like a hardware store? I think that it's sold by the same places that sell edging for formica tables (vinyl, presses into a slot routed all around the edge).

caxis0 · Post by **caxis0** » Thu May 13, 2004 2:09 am

Beats me. I checked at my local hard ware stores, and at Home Depot, noone had any. I've also looked around the net, but had little luck. I must admit I haven't looked as much as I could... If you all find any, please please let me know.

Bruce

Post by **MikeC** » Thu May 13, 2004 6:42 am

uh... I did read in these forums someone else's simpler solution to dealing with the stiff cable sleeving: Heat it up with a hair dryer till it gets soft, then manipulate it into place. Sounds pretty smart.

shathal · Post by **shathal** » Thu May 13, 2004 10:25 am

Hmm - nice thought/recollection there MikeC I'll bear it in mind if my own Noisetaker 475 (when I get it ... *sigh*) should prove uncooperative

.

Sooty · Post by **Sooty** » Thu May 13, 2004 10:30 am

shathal,

Where are you getting yours from?

shathal · Post by **shathal** » Thu May 13, 2004 10:51 am

I'll let you know when I have it.

Due to the warning I've sent around, I'm reluctant to get one of the french ones (*dag nammit*)

. I'll spill the beans on where I can get one, as soon as I see it available anywhere.

In return, I'd request the same

.

Darn, want that critter NOW

.